Current champion makes history outside AEW

An AEW star made history recently by achieving something no professional wrestler has ever done before outside of the squared circle. This feat brings the champion in question recognition from an entirely different world.

The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) recently acquired the artworks of AEW's Lee Moriarty. This marks the first time a painting by an active professional wrestler has entered the permanent collection of a major art institution.

Moriarty's painting gained initial attention during his debut at NADA Miami 2024, in collaboration with Orange Crush, which is a publication and platform that merges wrestling with contemporary art.

The artwork titled "Summer Garden Selfie, 2024" is described as a strikingly intimate portrait of a luchador in a pink mask surrounded by soft foliage. It explores themes often overlooked in pro wrestling: masculinity, emotion, and introspection. It reflects Moriarty's ongoing effort to showcase wrestlers' quieter, off-stage lives through visual storytelling.

This acquisition places Moriarty's work alongside major names such as Judy Chicago and Chico da Silva as part of PAMM's latest additions.

Lee Moriarty almost became a double champion in AEW

Lee Moriarty almost became a dual titleholder earlier this year when he faced Daniel Garcia for the TNT Championship on the March 8, 2025, edition of Collision.

The 15-minute match saw two stars go back and forth and delivered a gripping performance that had the crowd on their feet, chanting, "This is awesome." Ultimately, Daniel Garcia retained his title, denying Moriarty's opportunity to become a double champion.

After the bout, tensions escalated when Moriarity's faction, Shane Taylor Promotions, surrounded Garcia, only to be run off by the Undisputed Kingdom.

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